Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wote Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Wote

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $584 in Wote, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $892 in Wote, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,201 in Wote, rent included.

Medellin costs about 77% more than Wote, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Wote are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Wote 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.16 KES 408

87.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$39.10 KES 5,046

-16.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.01 KES 905

2.71%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.56 KES 201

8.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.37 KES 47.96

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.22 KES 28.37

227.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.13 KES 275

-21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.33 KES 301

33.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.74 KES 96.1

43.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.53 KES 68.4

135.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.51 KES 195

-7.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.36 KES 175

66.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$4.68 KES 604

-7.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.24 KES 805

-6.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.46 KES 705

61.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.08 KES 397

-27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.04 KES 134

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.16 KES 278

-29.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.59 KES 76.3

132.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.55 KES 71.2

105.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.17 KES 151

-4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.70 KES 90.4

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.55 KES 71.6

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.04 KES 392

-23.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.76 KES 1,518

-5.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.30 KES 297

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.82 KES 364

-15.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.52 KES 196

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.51 KES 196

26.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.88 KES 372

178.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.52 KES 197

-38.16%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.3K KES 2.7M

-15.69%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

35.18%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.52 KES 4,456

143.22%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.89 KES 2,180

-43.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$39.54 KES 5,104

-38.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.26 KES 808

-37.38%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$306 COP 1.1M

$153 KES 19.8K

99.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$8,175 KES 1.1M

-27.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$11.70 KES 1,511

394.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$7.57 KES 976

320.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$19.25 KES 2,485

418.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$22.92 KES 2,958

367.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$176 KES 22.8K

175.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$190 KES 24.5K

94.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$782 KES 100.9K

5.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$263 KES 34.0K

171.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.84

-9.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Wote: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $176 in Wote. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Wote. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $173 in Wote – so Wote wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Wote: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $875 in Wote. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wote, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Wote. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wote, where all-in costs run around $584, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Wote it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wote – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Wote. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.